Blocks on the Layout
The Visual Dispatcher manages traffic flow using a blocking system. Blocking ensures that trains do not collide. For this purpose the railroad layout is virtually divided in logi- cal blocks. That means, you define blocks at locations, where traffic control will take place (i.e. stopping inside a yard) or where trains are parked. Blocks are also used to de- termine and to indicate the position of your engines and trains on your tracks.
Typical examples of blocks are
• Tracks at a platform • Sidings in a (hidden) yard
• Block sections on tracks between two stations
In most cases blocks contain only a straight track section and no turnouts. They are usu- ally limited by two turnouts on both sides or by a turnout and a dead end of the track. Block sections between two stations are often limited by block signals.
Some guidelines for arranging your blocks:
• Blocks may be located anywhere on your railroad.
• Blocks are often limited by turnouts. These turnouts usually do not belong to the blocks.
• Blocks should be long enough to hold each stopping train completely.
• Each location, where the Visual Dispatcher will be able to stop a train automatically (e.g. in a station or in front of a signal), should be located in a separate block, i.e. in order to stop two trains at the same time at different locations, these locations must be arranged in different blocks.
• The more blocks are provided the more trains can be run simultaneously under con- trol of the Visual Dispatcher.
• Each block can be reserved by at most one train. A specific train may reserve several blocks. A train, that runs under control of the Visual Dispatcher, may only enter blocks, that are reserved for this train.
• Blocks only need to be provided for the parts of your model railroad, which will be controlled by the Dispatcher. Parts without blocks are not visible to the Dispatcher.
Following these guidelines the block structure of the sample layout looks as follows:
Diagram 93: Block structure of the sample layout
Each blue track section represents a separate block. The blocks on the main line or the branch line between “Southtown” and “Northville” can be subdivided further into more blocks if each of these blocks is long enough to store the longest train. This is useful if you want more than one train to travel on these tracks at the same time.
Block Diagrams
Like a human operator must know the overall structure of the model railroad layout the visual dispatcher needs to know this, too. This structure is represented by one or more diagrams, that contain blocks and routes between blocks. These diagrams also display the various itineraries of your trains. Such diagrams are called block diagrams of the layout. They describe the track and block layout of your entire model railroad in rough outline.
Block diagrams are displayed in separate windows, the dispatcher windows.
Normally each switchboard, that you create for your layout and that contains blocks, corresponds to a block diagram. These block diagrams are created automatically by TrainController™ by using the track layout drawn in the switchboard and the infor- mation about the blocks contained therein. To enable TrainController™ to create ( “calculate”) a block diagram for a switchboard, it is necessary to specify the positions of
the blocks in the track diagram of the switchboard, if there are any. This is done with the help of block symbols.
Diagram 94: Switchboard with Blocks
By creating a switchboard, drawing a track diagram in it and inserting block symbols at positions, where blocks are located, TrainController™ will automatically calculate a block diagram for this switchboard. All connecting routes will be automatically calculat- ed, too, with all contained turnouts. No extra human intervention is necessary to accom- plish this.
Diagram 95: Block Diagram in the Visual Dispatcher
Blocks are displayed on the computer screen by rectangular boxes. The blocks are con- nected to each other by routes, which touch each box graphically at a smaller side. These routes are drawn as lines.
Please note that the block diagram represents the track layout in rough outline. The ac- tual track connection between “Main Line West” and “Hidden Yard 3”, for example, contains two turnouts. These turnouts are not drawn in the block diagram in detail or as separate objects. Instead a line between the blocks is created, that indicates, that there is a track connection between the blocks.
In order to enable TrainController™ to calculate the block diagram automatically note the following:
• Draw the complete track diagram of your layout with all turnouts and crossings and without any gaps in a switchboard window.
• Create block symbols for all blocks of the layout, place them according to their loca- tion on the actual layout and ensure, that they are turned horizontally or vertically according to the track symbols, to which they are attached.
• Ensure that the blocks are connected to each other by track symbols without any gaps. The connecting tracks must touch the blocks at the smaller sides.
For specific purposes it is also possible in TrainController™ Gold to place blocks on diagonal track symbols. For technical reasons the size of such blocks is automatically shrunken to one single switchboard cell. Adjacent track elements, which will connect such mini block symbols with adjacent blocks must touch the block accordingly in ap- propriate opposite corners.
When working with TrainController™ you may notice, that switchboards and their corresponding block diagrams seem to look almost identical at first glance. But this is not actually the case. Switchboards contain the details of the track diagram, i.e. each particular track symbol and turnout and also additional objects like signals, push buttons etc. Switchboards are also the base for you to operate your layout, i.e. to perform manu- al interventions during operation. In contrast, block diagrams display routes between blocks rather than single track or turnout symbols and no additional objects like signals or buttons. Block diagrams mainly serve to manage the blocks and routes and to define and manage predefined itineraries for your trains (“schedules”). They can also be used to monitor the traffic on your layout but are usually not used for manual intervention. In many cases you will display the block diagrams only during edit mode to manipulate your data but hide them during operation.
TrainController™ Silver is limited to one block diagram in total, even if more than one switchboard exists. The automatic calculation of the block diagram works only for one selected switchboard.
TrainController™ Gold allows to work with as many switchboards and block dia- grams as necessary to represent your complete layout.
Even though block diagrams are normally automatically created by the software, it may be necessary under certain circumstances, however, to integrate a part of your layout in- to the block system of the dispatcher, which cannot be represented in a switchboard window. For this purpose TrainController™ allows to create additional, manually drawn (“custom”) diagrams, too.
vertically, then the entries/exits are located at the top and at the bottom. Each route be- gins at the entry/exit of a block and ends at the exit/entry of an adjacent block.
The following image explains the terms once more:
Diagram 96: Blocks and Route
In the diagram displayed above the blocks “Southtown 1” and “Main Line East” are connected with a route.
In many cases the track connection between two blocks contains one or more turnouts. In Diagram 94, for example, the route between Block “Main Line East” and “Southtown 2” contains two turnouts. To enable a train to travel automatically from one block to an- other the route between both blocks is activated. When this happens, all turnouts con- tained in the route are operated accordingly. All track elements along the path of the route remain locked in this position until the route is turned off again. As long as these elements are locked, they cannot be operated or used by other routes.
Linking Switchboards together - Connector Symbols
If you are working with more than one switchboard and there are track connections bet- ween parts of your layout, that are represented by different switchboards, then these track connections can be represented by connector symbols.
Connector symbols are inserted into the track diagrams of your switchboards in a similar way like blocks. Each connector symbol has a name of up to 2 letters or digits, which is displayed in the switchboard, too. To link a certain track symbol in one switchboard to a track symbol in another, insert a connector symbol next to each track symbol in both switchboards and assign the same letters or digits to both. Associated connector symbols are namely identified by identical names. Two connector symbols are associated with each other, if they have got the same name. It is not possible to create more than two connector symbols with the same name.
ween each two associated connector symbols. This route represents the said track con- nection between the two switchboards. From now on TrainController™ Gold is aware, that trains can travel from one switchboard to the other by passing these connectors and the hidden route in between.
If you like you can also use connector symbols to connect one part of your track diagram with another in the same switchboard. In this case TrainController™ Gold will also create a hidden route, if both connectors are contained in the same switchboard diagram. This is sometimes useful for large, complex track diagrams, where omitting certain track connections improves the clarity of the display.
It is also possible to insert connector symbols into custom diagrams to connect such dia- grams with switchboards or again other custom diagrams.